The Interstate's forgotten code

[mrsman]

Funny video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fn_30AD7Pk

[Max Rockatansky]

Ah yes, the famous video that went viral with the normals.

[Quillz]

This is why I always prefer highway networks that have at least some semblance of order or thought behind them. Like California's original 1934 routing logic before it became chaotic. I've never been a fan of just assigning numbers without any regards to directionality. I like Oregon's for example: with some newer exceptions, all the numbers follow a logic that makes it predictable and consistent where the numbers should be.

[epzik8]

Love the spotlighting of Maryland's x95s almost being maxed out.

[SEWIGuy]

This is why I always prefer highway networks that have at least some semblance of order or thought behind them. Like California's original 1934 routing logic before it became chaotic. I've never been a fan of just assigning numbers without any regards to directionality. I like Oregon's for example: with some newer exceptions, all the numbers follow a logic that makes it predictable and consistent where the numbers should be.

You like numbering systems because you like the order. It has little use otherwise.

[pderocco]

Love the spotlighting of Maryland's x95s almost being maxed out.

Who'd have thunk that MD would be the state that has eight children for one route? I'd have guessed NY. And had they used I-995 that would have given them the highest numbered Interstate in the country. Unless Bill Shuster had his driveway designated as I-999...

[froggie]

Love the spotlighting of Maryland's x95s almost being maxed out.

Who'd have thunk that MD would be the state that has eight children for one route? I'd have guessed NY. And had they used I-995 that would have given them the highest numbered Interstate in the country. Unless Bill Shuster had his driveway designated as I-999...

Your guess of New York would be correct, but not for I-95.  All of the I-x90s in New York have been used.

[pderocco]

Love the spotlighting of Maryland's x95s almost being maxed out.

Who'd have thunk that MD would be the state that has eight children for one route? I'd have guessed NY. And had they used I-995 that would have given them the highest numbered Interstate in the country. Unless Bill Shuster had his driveway designated as I-999...

Your guess of New York would be correct, but not for I-95.  All of the I-x90s in New York have been used.

I never noticed that. Thanks. Are there any other interstates that have a full house like that?

[jlam]

Love the spotlighting of Maryland's x95s almost being maxed out.

Who'd have thunk that MD would be the state that has eight children for one route? I'd have guessed NY. And had they used I-995 that would have given them the highest numbered Interstate in the country. Unless Bill Shuster had his driveway designated as I-999...

Your guess of New York would be correct, but not for I-95.  All of the I-x90s in New York have been used.

I never noticed that. Thanks. Are there any other interstates that have a full house like that?

Historically, I-80 in CA is another example, though many numbers are no longer in use.

[Max Rockatansky]

Kinda, I-480 had already become CA 480 by the time the concept of making northern CA 17 the then new I-180.

[Quillz]

Love the spotlighting of Maryland's x95s almost being maxed out.

Who'd have thunk that MD would be the state that has eight children for one route? I'd have guessed NY. And had they used I-995 that would have given them the highest numbered Interstate in the country. Unless Bill Shuster had his driveway designated as I-999...

Your guess of New York would be correct, but not for I-95.  All of the I-x90s in New York have been used.

I never noticed that. Thanks. Are there any other interstates that have a full house like that?

Historically, I-80 in CA is another example, though many numbers are no longer in use.

180 was proposed, never signed. 

[english si]

You like numbering systems because you like the order. It has little use otherwise.

I was going to say the odd-even is useful, but cardinal directions are signed anyway, so it doesn't hinder navigation if you have an even route running north-south (eg I-26 in TN) because you can sign it north-south (doesn't I-69 in MI change from being N-S to E-W at Lansing?).

The interstate code is forgotten, because it's just a neat order and actually useless on the ground (this 3di is even, so I'll be able to return to the parent - but where? Is it a short cut/time-saver, or is it a long way around that takes time and is really busy too).

[GaryV]

The premise of the video is that you could navigate simply by the numbers until the grid got messed up. I doubt anyone ever did that. "OK, honey, we're headed north, so let's find an odd-numbered route and follow it." No, pre-GPS, everyone knew how to read a map or knew someone else who did.

I recall hearing that the US Highway system was set up in a grid to eliminate fighting over which states or cities would get numbers that were somehow preferred. That worked well enough, so that when the Interstate System was proposed they chose to use the same grid-type system. And in some cases actually improved the grid for diagonal routes, such as US-66 being replaced by more than one Interstate number. Also routes like I-75 replaced portions of more than one US Highway number.

[Rothman]

Eh, although I don't think people navigate by the numbers, having numbers increase west-to-east does provide a subtle psychological help for long-distance travel.

[TheStranger]

This actually makes me ask:

We're used to the nationwide grids of the US and Interstate routes.  Are there any other countries who use a similar approach with their national route numbering?

[Henry]

Love the spotlighting of Maryland's x95s almost being maxed out.

Who'd have thunk that MD would be the state that has eight children for one route? I'd have guessed NY. And had they used I-995 that would have given them the highest numbered Interstate in the country. Unless Bill Shuster had his driveway designated as I-999...

Your guess of New York would be correct, but not for I-95.  All of the I-x90s in New York have been used.

I never noticed that. Thanks. Are there any other interstates that have a full house like that?

Historically, I-80 in CA is another example, though many numbers are no longer in use.

180 was proposed, never signed.

Besides, Caltrans saw no rhyme or reason in renumbering the state highway in Fresno, so I-580 was extended north instead. I-80 does have a full set of 3di's anyway across its entire length, including the oddball I-180 in Cheyenne.

It looks like I-85 will beat out I-5 (and I-95, for that matter) as the first odd-numbered 2di to use up all nine leading auxiliary numbers, albeit existing in different states.

[MikieTimT]

Still holding out for I-50.

[TheStranger]

Besides, Caltrans saw no rhyme or reason in renumbering the state highway in Fresno, so I-580 was extended north instead. I-80 does have a full set of 3di's anyway across its entire length, including the oddball I-180 in Cheyenne.

interestingly, California did renumber some state routes in anticipation of the interstates, starting in the late 1950s:

1934-1963 Route 5 (Skyline Boulevard from SF south towards Santa Cruz) -> Route 35 (35 was made available by I-605 taking over that corridor

1934-1963 Route 8 (rural route east of Stockton) -> Route 26 (made available by I-10 taking over the old Olympic corridor)

1934-1958 Route 10 (which originally covered Firestone Boulevard/Manchester Avenue from LAX east to Norwalk then to Harbor Boulevard/US 101 in Anaheim) -> Route 42

1934-1964 Route 15 (Long Beach Freeway) -> Route 7 (made available by I-405 taking over the old Route 7/Sepulveda pathway)

--

While I don't think it's ever been officially documented why Route 180 has been retained, compared to the examples above, it is noticeably longer than the above four routes listed.

At the time the renumbering happened, the only x80 routes that were in existence were I-280, I-680, I-480, with Sacramento I-880 being proposed at the time.  (I-580 then was I-5W)  So there wasn't a thought of possible running out back then, as compared to the mid-1980s when I-238 was established.

[Max Rockatansky]

The AASHTO database has a couple file scans on the whole I-238 application that touched on CA 180.

[vdeane]

The interstate code is forgotten, because it's just a neat order and actually useless on the ground (this 3di is even, so I'll be able to return to the parent - but where? Is it a short cut/time-saver, or is it a long way around that takes time and is really busy too).

I find that the grid helps lend a sense of place when traveling and that numbers from outside the local part of the grid where I live feel exotic.  I do question the 3di rules, though, especially as states are consistent as to whether an even 2di needs to return to its parent or whether just connecting two interstates period is enough.

[Bickendan]

Love the spotlighting of Maryland's x95s almost being maxed out.

Who'd have thunk that MD would be the state that has eight children for one route? I'd have guessed NY. And had they used I-995 that would have given them the highest numbered Interstate in the country. Unless Bill Shuster had his driveway designated as I-999...

Your guess of New York would be correct, but not for I-95.  All of the I-x90s in New York have been used.

I never noticed that. Thanks. Are there any other interstates that have a full house like that?

Historically, I-80 in CA is another example, though many numbers are no longer in use.

180 was proposed, never signed.

Besides, Caltrans saw no rhyme or reason in renumbering the state highway in Fresno, so I-580 was extended north instead. I-80 does have a full set of 3di's anyway across its entire length, including the oddball I-180 in Cheyenne.

It looks like I-85 will beat out I-5 (and I-95, for that matter) as the first odd-numbered 2di to use up all nine leading auxiliary numbers, albeit existing in different states.

I-5 does use all 9 auxiliary numbers across its three states, it's just that Oregon canceled their 305 after Portland's freeway revolt and California refuses to sign let alone acknowledge theirs.

This actually makes me ask:

We're used to the nationwide grids of the US and Interstate routes.  Are there any other countries who use a similar approach with their national route numbering?

Yes, India does.

[SEWIGuy]

The interstate code is forgotten, because it's just a neat order and actually useless on the ground (this 3di is even, so I'll be able to return to the parent - but where? Is it a short cut/time-saver, or is it a long way around that takes time and is really busy too).

I find that the grid helps lend a sense of place when traveling and that numbers from outside the local part of the grid where I live feel exotic.  I do question the 3di rules, though, especially as states are consistent as to whether an even 2di needs to return to its parent or whether just connecting two interstates period is enough.

So...the grid is good for feelings? That's not a good reason to have a grid.

[Rothman]

The interstate code is forgotten, because it's just a neat order and actually useless on the ground (this 3di is even, so I'll be able to return to the parent - but where? Is it a short cut/time-saver, or is it a long way around that takes time and is really busy too).

I find that the grid helps lend a sense of place when traveling and that numbers from outside the local part of the grid where I live feel exotic.  I do question the 3di rules, though, especially as states are consistent as to whether an even 2di needs to return to its parent or whether just connecting two interstates period is enough.

So...the grid is good for feelings? That's not a good reason to have a grid.

Not feelings.  Intuition.

[formulanone]

I recall hearing that the US Highway system was set up in a grid to eliminate fighting over which states or cities would get numbers that were somehow preferred. That worked well enough, so that when the Interstate System was proposed they chose to use the same grid-type system.

This is one of the more logical reasons I've heard for the grid system.

[TheStranger]

I recall hearing that the US Highway system was set up in a grid to eliminate fighting over which states or cities would get numbers that were somehow preferred. That worked well enough, so that when the Interstate System was proposed they chose to use the same grid-type system.

This is one of the more logical reasons I've heard for the grid system.

It's fascinating how the "major" ranking of interstates was emphasized somewhat in the 1956 initial assignments (which led to Dallas getting the ultra-short I-45 and I-30) - but as time has gone on and those numbers already are pretty much stratified, the 2di itself of any sort, regardless of final digit, is now the prestige-seeking brand for states/politicians/business leaders/etc.

(This also brings to mind the 1926-era discussions about what that LA-to-Chicago route number would be, initially US 60 and then eventually the iconic US 66)